Do most people support Biden’s student loan forgiveness? What a poll of voters found

A new poll shows that opinions are split on President Joe Biden’s new student loan forgiveness program.

Emerson College Polling asked voters their opinions on two aspects of the program: debt cancellation and the extended payment pause.

Under Biden’s new plan, announced Aug. 24, borrowers who make less than $125,000 annually will see $10,000 of their debt canceled. Pell Grant recipients will see $20,000 in forgiveness.

Biden also extended the student loan payment pause through the end of the year and introduced new provisions when payments resume.

Voters are split when it comes to both policies.

When asked about their support for loan forgiveness, 36% think the $10,000 cancellation is too much action, 35% think it is just the right amount of action, and 30% think it is not enough, the poll says.

Similarly, when asked their opinions about the payment moratorium, 35% of voters said the extended freeze is too much action, 38% think it is just the right amount of action, and 28% think it is not enough, according to the poll’s results.

The poll notes that there is a “stark age divide” among voters.

“Pluralities of voters under 50 think the $10,000 forgiveness is ‘not enough’ action, whereas the plurality of those over 50 think it is ‘too much’ action,” said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling. “Regarding the repayment freeze, the plurality of those under 35 say it is not enough action, whereas the plurality of those between 35 and 64 say it is just about the ‘right amount’ of action, and those over 65 say it is ‘too much’.”

A slight majority (51%) of voters think Biden’s plan “allows colleges to keep raising tuition instead of improving the school’s efficiency and cutting costs.” Meanwhile, 49% of voters think the program “allows more students access to higher education who would not otherwise be able to afford it,” the poll says.

The poll surveyed 1,000 voters and was conducted between Aug. 23-24. The margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

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